It's been awhile since we posted. Sorry! We haven't given up our love for crows, life just gets busy. We are back now and look forward to posting more regularly. We saw this beautiful crow by the waterfront. I wonder what he was thinking about...such intelligent birds. As it is a Sunday, we will throw in a corvid stamp -- and start a new tradition -- Stamp Sunday! Hope you enjoy!
Raven Stamp from Russia

Thousands of crows roost on the University of Washington Bothell campus every night.
I have always loved crows. And recently I learned about the tens of thousands of crows that roost at the Bothell campus of the University of Washington. Of course, I had to go check it out. I don't think any number of pictures or videos I share will help share the experience with you. It is just something you should experience for yourself. They covered trees. They covered rooftops, they filled up light posts, the goal posts on the field. They flew around by the hundreds. There were literally crows everywhere. After dark, they descended upon the field itself with the lights shining down on them. It was like the most raucous, fun bird party ever. And they do this every night! The sounds they made are indescribable. It was really amazing to experience.
Some might think it is straight out of a horror movie, but for me, these crows are fascinating. I was in awe for hours watching them gather. They met up like old friends and family at the end of their day. They flew in from every direction--from far away. While I was on my way to the campus I felt like one of the crows going towards the great meeting place. It was just really something I cannot explain well enough. I can't do it justice.
I think I've found the place I will visit as often as possible.
That said, here are some links for more information.

Caw! Caw! Or The Chronicle of Crows: A Tale of the Spring-time by RM, illustrated by J.B. It is a fun, lovely crow book. Lots of poetry with crows. This is well-worth the read. Try reading it aloud! =) If you dare, try reading it aloud AND recording it for me to post! =) I'd love that. Here are the first six pages... beautiful illustrations as well as fun poems. I will post the next six or so pages tomorrow. =) I hope you enjoy!

The next part of this book will be posted tomorrow, so don't forget to come back!

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: CAW! CAW!
The Chronicle of Crows, A Tale of the Spring-time
Author: RM
Illustrator: JB
Release Date: August 22, 2007 [EBook #22374]
Language: English

A lovely albino crow... it is rare to be completely albino.
However, it seems in my area a lot of birds are leucistic. I have seen SEVERAL crows with white streaks, white feathers. It is strange. I wonder if it is environmental in these cases?

I read an interesting article about corvids in Australia at The Conversation. I don't like to re-post full articles so, I will post a snippet and a link...

Corvids feature in the cave art of early humans. Their voices and actions reportedly stimulate human language and culture. Some research suggests that when humans interact with social crows, the things they see and learn can inspire their own rapid cultural evolution. Crows also seem to do things that people do (“talk” to each other, steal and hide things, use tools, “tease” other species, play), so it’s possible we’re all learning from one another.

In a year with a heavy cone crop a single nutcracker can cache between 22,000 and 33,000 seeds in over 7,000 individual cache sites (Vander Wall & Balda, 1977). Birds may place between one and 14 seeds per cache. Birds continue caching until the crop is depleted or snow covers the caching areas (Vander Wall & Balda, 1977). Possibly, birds curtail caching after snow remains on the ground because to cache in these conditions would reveal cache location by their foot prints left in the snow.2